Nauticam has finally released photos of the worst kept secret in the history of housings, the NA-550 for Canon Rebel T2i/550D/Kiss X4. Finally, a high end housing worthy of your new [url="http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/27/canon-brings-out-jackie-chan-branded-rebel-t2i-550d-for-chines/"]Jackie Chan Rebel[/url]!

All kidding aside, the camera has a lot of potential on both still and video fronts, and hopefully this housing helps its users realize it.

From the above image, you should see the AV +/- lever tucked away under the handle, and a new paddle for ISO reached by the fingertip of your right hand. AV +/- routes the control control (shown below, above and right of lcd) out to the user's fingertips. This is a two position switch, with an engaged and a disengaged position. In manual mode, with the lever disengaged shutter speed is adjusted by the command dial, and when engaged f-stop is controlled. The ISO Paddle is a feature built for and requested by video shooters. When shooting video, f-stop is set to yield a desired dof, and shutter speed is set often to control motion effects. ISO and external lights are the only factors left available for adjusting exposure, making this control an important one to access from the right grip.

The housing now features a two stage shutter release mechanism that is much more sensitive than previous levers. With this mechanical system you can clearly feel half press, and have to pull noticably harder to actuate the shutter. This is much more tactile than other mechanical systems I've used.

The silver button below and to the right of the lens port in the above image is a new lens release lever. This allows a lens with a large zoom gear in place to be removed from the front of the housing only by opening the port. The lens release mechanism does not obstruct the removal of a camera with a lens and zoom gear attached from the back of the housing, either.

The housing back features new locking latches, a rocker key for star and focus point selector, a piano key for the quick control button, and sophisticated routing of the playback control from below the four way controller on the camera to the left handle for easy activation underwater.

NA-550 is the smallest housing built by Nauticam, shown here next to 7D.

USA Retail Price is $2300, and coming to a Nauticam dealer near you on June 14.